Author Topic: Concert reviews  (Read 259579 times)

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Offline Luth

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Re: Concert reviews
« Reply #340 on: March 06, 2013, 06:39:02 pm »
That souns really good!

I'm a little envious, you know...  :unsure:
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Offline Markus

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Re: Concert reviews
« Reply #341 on: March 06, 2013, 07:56:37 pm »
Really, Luthy? Doesn't Barcelona have great cultural offers, too? Or is it that you'd like to experience a Wagner-opera in specific and they don't play them over there.

Well... you know... as I mentioned... :unsure:

They're playing the Ring once more in 2014. :ninja:

Heiahohei and cheers!

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Offline Lucy

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Re: Concert reviews
« Reply #342 on: March 06, 2013, 08:15:44 pm »
That must have been fantastic, Markus! :) Thank you for sharing!
I'm a fan of modern opera directions, and I think I would have enjoyed this one too.

Quote
Otherwise I never would have understood why Wotan is eagerly going for golden apples in a moment of despair or what Siegmund meant when he said that he'd rather stay with Hella than go to Walhall.


Would you please explain these? :unsure: I don't know or I don't remember... but I'm glad to hear that Siegmund wants to stay in Halle rather than in Walhall. :D

Offline Markus

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Re: Concert reviews
« Reply #343 on: March 06, 2013, 08:31:17 pm »
It was fantastic, Lucy,

and I do hope to get to see the final opera, too.

Sure I can explain! The story told in the Ring is not classical Nordic mythology but it uses a looot of motives from that. For instance, Wotan (=Odin) gathers fallen heroes in Walhall so that they can defend him in the final battle. Siegmund is supposed to be slain by Hunding and to enter Walhall. But as he gets to know that his beloved Sieglinde can't join him there, he refuses and says that he'd rather stay with Hella - which is simply Hel, the goddess or personification of the realm of the ordinary deceased.

And the gods need golden apples. They will grow old and feeble and die unless they rejuvenate by eating the golden apples that Iduna is keeping for them.

You could learn both factlets from Therion lyrics, by the way: "Asgard" will introduce you to Walhall, "Helheim" to, well, Hel(-heim), and "the fruits of Iduna" are mentioned in "Uthark Runa".

Cheers!

Markus
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Offline Luth

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Re: Concert reviews
« Reply #344 on: March 06, 2013, 08:44:33 pm »
Markus: yes, I don't complain! Barcelona is plenty of cultural offers of all kind, opera included!! But for whatever the reason (apart from really expensive), I've never gone there. Remember certain hotel in "Las Ramblas"? Remember which theater was next to it?  :ninja:  Some day I might go... but right now, I just envy you because you went, and I didn't  :insane:

Ah... and the Ring in 2014 sounds good... perhaps 10 or 20 years more, and I'll be able to go and understand all the lyrics (if they're in German). Can you arrange for that?  :lol3:
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Offline Markus

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Re: Concert reviews
« Reply #345 on: March 06, 2013, 08:52:53 pm »
I see, Luth. Well, go, anyway - take at least one of the cheaper tickets. It's really a big experience!

About understanding the Ring: Make that 30 or 40 years. At least. Even I didn't get every single verse, and I'm German. :insane:

Cheers!

Markus
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Offline Persephone

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Re: Concert reviews
« Reply #346 on: March 07, 2013, 09:51:05 am »
Finally had some time to read the new posts.

I have to say that even though I am NOT a fan of modern direction in the opera/theatre, I might have enjoyed it. Gangsta-bosses, that sounds quite interesting to me :-)

I am myself planning to go with a friend from school to a ballet. :)
But then again, who does.

Offline Luth

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Re: Concert reviews
« Reply #347 on: March 09, 2013, 08:21:41 pm »
Ok, as I said, I've just bought two tickets for "Das Rheingold", in the Liceu.

http://www.liceubarcelona.cat/en/event-detail/obra/lor-del-rin.html

We're going on 20th may. There were three kind of tickets: the terribly expensive (from 96 to 233 €), with good of fantastic vision; the good price (33 €) with no visibility; and the fantastically cheap price (11,75 €!!), with no visibility but a tv to watch the action in the scene. I suppose the middle-priced have video too, but it's not said  :blink:. Soooo... I've bought the fantastically cheap, and I'll have the chance to enter the Liceo, and hear an opera just in there  :yeha: And even see what happen on the scene through the tv  :insane:

YAY!!!!!!  :yeha: :yeha: :yeha:
« Last Edit: March 09, 2013, 11:43:35 pm by Luth »
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Offline Markus

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Re: Concert reviews
« Reply #348 on: March 09, 2013, 09:04:25 pm »
Well done, Luth! :thumbup: I'm sure you won't regret this decision.

Enjoy it a lot and tell us all about it later. :)

It will be performed in German, I suppose? Are they going to stage the whole Ring? It's a big Wagner anniversary year, after all...

I'm not sure if I should recommend you to read into the story or to let yourself be surprised... :unsure:

Well, I'm glad to hear you're doing this, milady!

Hoho, hohei and cheers!

Markus
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Offline Luth

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Re: Concert reviews
« Reply #349 on: March 09, 2013, 09:59:53 pm »
I've read a brief summary... and I see it has a lot to do with LOTR, really (or better: LOTR has a lot to do with "Das Rheingold")  :lol3:

Have you seen the website I've posted? By the video, and the pictures, the context is modern. I suppose the director is not the same as yours?  :insane:

I imagine it's in German... as I wish there's some translation. It'll be the first time I even enter the Liceu, so all will be new for me, except for what I've seen on the TV or photos  :biggrin:

Oh... and I don't know if they'll play all the tetralogy... but if they do, and the prices are not higher, I bet I can go to them all if I can find this kind of cheap-seat  :ninja:  :lol3:
« Last Edit: March 09, 2013, 11:44:53 pm by Luth »
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Offline Markus

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Re: Concert reviews
« Reply #350 on: March 09, 2013, 10:12:59 pm »
Mmmhhh... either you get sub- / supertitles so you can read along what's happening, or you should read a more detailed plot before your big night at the opera.

I'm sure that apart from the actual opera performance, going out and seeing the Liceo in natura will be an experience in itself. :thumbup:

Yeah, I've seen the whole page and watched the videos. It seems to be a modern staging but different from the Halle+Ludwigshafen staging. The director is different, too.

BTW, they're doing the "Walküre" next year. :wOOt:

Cheers!

Markus
« Last Edit: March 09, 2013, 11:45:25 pm by Luth »
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Offline Luth

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Re: Concert reviews
« Reply #351 on: March 09, 2013, 11:23:30 pm »
Yeah! It seems they're playing "Die Walküre" too!!  :wink2:  and I see it's 4h 45 min  :blink: :blink: :blink:

Oh my... I think I'd need some cushions for my seat...  :ninja:
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Offline Markus

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Re: Concert reviews
« Reply #352 on: March 17, 2013, 08:10:29 pm »
I don't think so, Luth... The seats are cushioned already, I suppose. :lol3: Besides that there will be breaks for you to stretch your legs. Oh, and to me the operas were over faster than expected.

Cheers!

Markus
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Offline Luth

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Re: Concert reviews
« Reply #353 on: May 14, 2013, 09:20:07 pm »
I think I owe you some review...  :unsure:

Ok, here I go!! My night at the Opera!  :biggrin:

As you already know, not long ago (2o April) I went with Xiquet to the Liceu, the opera house in Barcelona, to watch "Das Rehingold". First of all, I was a little suprised because people tended to wear something depending on their ticket: the most expensive ticket, the most elegant and expensive dress or suit; the cheaper ticket, normal dress and even jeans. I had the cheapest among the cheapest ticket (not yet 12 €!!!), but I didn't dare to wear jeans... next time perhaps I do  :ninja:  Naaah... dress is unimportant, the thing is to enjoy music!

Ok, first of all, there was a "briefiing" in a room below the great room. We could sit on a chair in the center, or drink something. We simply sat there and heard about the whole tetralogy, and "Das Rehingold in particular", specially about the version we were going to enjoy. After that, we went to our seats: on the 4th floor, in a lateral, as much near of the stage as you can... so much that I only was able to see the half the stage, and only if I stood up and put half of me out of the banister. That's the reason we had a tiny little mobile screens just in front of our seats, to be able to watch what happened on the stage. Ok, have I said that those were the cheap tickets?  :nana:

It's hard for me to make a review about the music, as I'm not used to pure opera (of course, I'm used to Therion, but that's not exactly the same...). For a rewiew I read a few days later, it seems the music was sometimes too high and silenced the actors... I notized, but I thought it would be the normal thing at the opera. After all, there were no microphones there! But perhaps it was a little too much. In fact, it was the first day of the performance in Barcelona, I suppose those minor errors are normal. Apart from that, I really enjoyed, and I didn't feel it too long. Well... it's the shorter opera from the tetralogy, isn't it? Even so, it's quite a long time.

The scenario was almost naked in every of the scenes: a light from one side to the other in two scenes, a buidling in construction in the second scene, and construction blocks in the third... that's all! It's a risky scenography, but I liked it.

Thinking in all the play, the third scene, with Alberich enslaving all the dwarves. is my favourite... because of the story, the performances, and perhaps I liked Alberich's performance the most.

And it came to an end! An enjoyable experiece, even though being hidden up to the clouds! I suppose that when they play the next operas from the Nibelungen tetralogy, we're going, if there are the same prizes... We can't afford to spend more than 200 € each in only one opera, but 12... or the double, there's no problem, and it's a fantastic experience! Perhaps another day I try to post some pictures I did from the interior of the opera hall... only for that, it's absolutely worth!!  :wOOt:
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Offline Markus

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Re: Concert reviews
« Reply #354 on: May 15, 2013, 07:55:06 pm »
Thank you so much for sharing this, Luth!

Nah, please don't wear jeans to the opera. Dressing up is one way to mark the evening as something special, so it improves your own experience. Also it's a way to express your respect to the music and the musicians. Finally it makes the photos of that evening much more interesting, those photos we're all so eager to see. :wOOt:

I'm glad you enjoyed the opera and I like your approach: "I'm not an opera expert but I just watch and listen without preoccupation and make myself an opinion of my own." I don't know of any better approach to Wagner in particular!

Did you notice the leitmotiv thingy? Some persons or places have a musical motif of their own that's played in variations when they appear. The giants have one, Walhalla has its own - later, in "Siegfried", Notung has one.

And yes, you're right: "Das Rheingold" is the shortest opera in the Ring. Just the prelude to the actual work, so to say :ninja:

One ring to lure them all,
One ring to find them,
One ring to seat them and
For countless hours bind them!


Cheers!

Markus
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Offline Lucy

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Re: Concert reviews
« Reply #355 on: May 15, 2013, 08:01:28 pm »
Haha Markus! :lol3:

Thank you for sharing this, Luthy, I'm happy to read that you had a good time! :wOOt: You even made me miss going to the opera! :wink2:

Offline The One

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Re: Concert reviews
« Reply #356 on: June 01, 2013, 08:59:54 am »
To put it in short, all the shows I've gone to over the past couple of months, since December: Wintersun with Eluveitie, Meshuggah with Animals as Leaders and Intronaut, PaganFest (with Ensiferum, Týr, Heidevolk, Trollfest and Helsott), Ghost with Ides of Gemini, and the Decibel Tour (Cannibal Corpse, Immolation, Napalm Death and Beyond Creation) have been absolutely amazing. Each and every one has been a blast and worth every single penny. Not perfect since a couple of them have had bands I wasn't a huge fan of, or with points where I wasn't a big fan of the crowd, but for the most part, very very enjoyable.

A couple bands that made me laugh a lot:
  • Trollfest... I believe we have an emoticon for what they looked like on stage: :bzz: They had banners with a muscular bumblebee on them. Also, very interesting musically speaking, they have a saxophone player and make a very interesting mix of different forms of Folk Music and Metal
  • Cannibal Corpse were amazing live with their technicality and brutal sound, but the cherry atop of everything is their frontman, George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher; the man needs to have his own stand-up comedy show. Out of the hilarious things he said tonight: "You sound like you're tired. I know my fat ass is tired, but I'm stuck here for a little while longer. So are you. If anyone leaves, I'll make sure it hurts", "I don't like calling out to people but, to the sweetheart that yelled 'I Cum Blood'... WE ALREADY PLAYED THAT FUCKING SONG!"

Bands with amazing stage presence and show:
  • Ghost. Needless to say, their entire set was extremely theatrical and very well played. The stage was set up as a Gothic church with candles lit and the band played in their full Nameless Ghoul outfits; Papa Emeritus II and the Nameless was the most glorious parody I've ever seen of the Catholic Church. And the music was fantastic.
  • Meshuggah have a fantastic live presence. The light show, the intensity of the music and the role each band member takes makes seeing them very close to a religious experience.
  • Týr on stage seem like the nicest most calm Metalheads on the bill for PaganFest; their music is powerful in the sense that is truly lyrics of Faroese Folk songs with a Metal twist to them. I'm pretty sure every woman was going crazy over their stage looks though. If I were attracted to men, I'm pretty sure I would be salivating over Heri Joensen too, I don't blame them.
  • Ensiferum are amazing live; the whole experience is very well staged and the choice of tunes very well picked, with a good balance of new and older material, including a couple songs from their first album. Big bonus: Their bass player Sami Hinkka is a beast with that 6 string bass
  • Immolation have such an amazingly positive attitude for an old-school Death Metal band, every second I would look up on stage, their lead guitarist would be doing something awesome, inciting the crowd to headbang, mosh and essentially go crazy.
  • Eluveitie played the entirety of their "Helvetios" album when I went to see them last December. Their stage presence is unquestionably great, especially that of their frontman Chrigel Glanzmann, who gave a lucky lady in the audience a Celtic pendant. The moshing during the heavier tracks was definitely very fun.

Bands who I went to see/ended up baffled by entirely due to their technicality and/or amazing musical proficiency
  • Beyond Creation, the first band opening for Cannibal Corpse. Blew me away completely with the skill their bass player displays; the guy plays on a fretless six string, with complex techniques that absolutely made it impossible for me to get my eyes off of his hands. Met the guy after show, really chill and was humbled by the fact that fellow bass players held him in such high regard.
  • Animals as Leaders and their amazing 8-string guitar experimental sound was a very pleasant experience, especially with the complex rhythms and the crazy guitar solos. I'm pretty sure they were as happy to play that tour as we were to see them, as Meshuggah is unquestionably one of their biggest influences.
  • Wintersun. This one is a no-brainer; Jari Mäenpaa is lauded all over the Internet as a composing and guitar-playing Finnish god with an amazing vocal range. That man and his band truly deliver, with mind-boggling solos and jaw-dropping technique. As good as on record if not better. Also, a huge plus was to meet them, they're all really nice guys.

Bands I enjoyed but don't have too much to say about:
  • Heidevolk were interesting. Like a two-vocalist lighter version of Amon Amarth.
  • Helsott were a pleasant surprise coming from the States to play at PaganFest. They left a positive impression but were sort of opaqued by the rest of the acts of the night.
  • Intronaut. My second time seeing them; I had seen them a year earlier opening for Tool and I felt they were good, but were rather opaqued by the headliner. It was nicer seeing them at a smaller venue and getting to appreciate the smaller details. Pretty enjoyable, but not much else I can say. Very good bass player though.

Bands I was disappointed with:
  • Napalm Death. I never was much into Grindcore, but this didn't help me get more interested in it. Definitely not my cup of tea.
  • Ides of Gemini. Not a bad group of musicians per se, but their music was rather boring. It was a pretty monotonous female-led flavor of Doom Metal; but despite the fact they played a 6 song set, it all felt like it was one long, very monotonous and boring piece.
« Last Edit: June 01, 2013, 09:33:23 am by The One »
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Offline Markus

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Re: Concert reviews
« Reply #357 on: June 02, 2013, 09:46:34 pm »
Whoa, thank you, Jorge!

Quite an extensive and differentiated report by some One who knows. And quite funny occasionally - the Cannibal Corpse scene is truly worth a laugh.

I'm glad that you had the chance to see so many bands, that you enjoyed so many of them and that you had the chance to meet a couple of them. :)

Cheers!

Markus
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Offline The One

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Re: Concert reviews
« Reply #358 on: June 29, 2013, 03:22:47 am »
So, I went to see Vreid and Melechesh last night. Needless to say, it was pretty awesome; I was pleasantly surprised by Vreid and Melechesh was amazing on stage, playing a lot of my favorite tunes.
One highlight of it was Vreid's frontman getting confused for a while and saying "Thank you Montreal"... So I scream "It's Toronto, not Montreal!", to which he replies: "It all looks the same from up here". :lol: Melechesh followed up on that by jokingly saying "Thank you, Thunder Bay!" (Thunder Bay is a smaller city in Northern Ontario).
"All men are intellectuals, but not all men in society have the function of intellectuals" -Antonio Gramsci

Offline Lucy

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Re: Concert reviews
« Reply #359 on: June 29, 2013, 06:50:01 am »
Haha, the funny guys! :lol3: